I hope these tips help you! But did you know the #1 reason that people get headaches & migraines according to the American Academy of Pain Management? Spinal Stress!
Specifically spinal stress in the neck!
Therefore, getting a spinal check-up is hugely important in determining why you may be dealing with pain. This is also why chiropractic care has a great track record in helping people who are dealing with the symptoms from headaches & migraines. Let us know how we can help you!
# 1 Drink more water.
Did you know that dehydration is the #2 cause of headaches & migraines for most of the population? We simply don’t drink enough water.
Our bodies and brains are comprised of 75% water! A loss of just 2-3% of the brain’s hydration can cause the brain to shrink and can cause flare-ups of headaches & migraines.
How do you know how much water? The recommendation is based on a simple formula. Take your body weight, divide it in half, and that is the amount of water is ounces you need to drink EACH DAY. (Example: 200lb male. Half of the bodyweight is 100. He needs to drink 100oz of water per day. About 3 liters of water.)
This is probably more water then you are drinking. But if you start increasing your water intake you will notice almost instant changes in your symptoms.
# 2 Get more sleep.
Sleep is a Superpower! Americans are chronically deprived of sleep. There are so many health issues that have their roots in lack of sleep.
Most headache and migraine sufferers know that if they do not sleep well, they will wake up with a headache and/or migraine and it will stay with them until they can sleep. We do the most healing when we sleep!
Our suggestion? Go to bed!
Adults need 7-9hrs of sleep per night. Teenagers need 9-11hrs/per night and children need 12hr/night.
More sleep will help your body heal, balance hormones, decrease anxiety, improve energy and mood, AND will decrease the pain from headaches & migraines. I don’t see a downside here!
Turn off Netflix and go to bed.
# 3 Change your workstation.
Many of people who deal with headaches & migraines are simply sitting too much or have an unsafe workstation, or both. When we sit, especially at a computer or reading, we are putting too much stress and tension on the neck and shoulders. This causes the muscles to tighten up, increases forward head posture and puts too much tension on the neck and spinal cord.
Does your head feel heavy at the end of the day? Do the muscles in your shoulders and neck get tighter as your day goes along? You are sitting too much! You should be getting up every 40-50 minutes, for 5 minutes, to walk around, stretch, get more water, use the bathroom, and take some deep breaths.
# 4 Cold on your neck, heat on your hands.
This recommendation comes from Dr. Christiane Northrup, who is a New York Times Bestseller and a migraine sufferer herself. At the beginning part of an acute attack of symptoms, putting a cold pack on the back of your neck and taking a hot water bottle and putting it on your stomach, and putting your hands under the water bottle will help abate some of the symptoms.
Dr. Northrup says that “cooling the blood traveling to the brain through your neck and warming your hands helps prevent the powerful vasoconstriction and rebound vasodilation that results in headache pain.”
Doing these things all at the same time has the potential to abort your attack. But you must act at the first sign your body gives you!
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